No matter how you feel about Valentine’s Day—whether you think it’s a fun day to celebrate all things L-O-V-E, or a dumb non-holiday created by greeting card companies—it’s right around the corner. And it’s a great excuse to reconnect with your past clients, nurture those relationships, and hopefully score some referrals.
(Just for the record, I think Valentine’s Day is lovely. I’ll take any reason to celebrate!)
With so many real estate agents focused on December gifts for clients and prospects, a great way to stand out is to wait a couple of months and focus your efforts on Valentine’s Day. In this blog post, you’ll find 6 great Valentine’s Day pop-bys that are sure to charm your clients.
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But first, some tips for getting the most out of your pop-bys:
- Consider segmenting your audience: The more relevant and personal the gift, the more memorable and meaningful it will be. If you have a lot of families with elementary-aged children, for example, you might opt for kid-friendly treats rather than a Starbucks gift card. Or maybe you have a lot of football fans, in which case a Super Bowl-themed pop-by might be a better choice than a bag of candy hearts.
- Follow up afterwards with an email or text message: “Just wanted to make sure you got the little gift hanging on your front door! Happy Valentine’s Day!” or “It was so nice chatting with you. Hope to see you again soon! And if you know anyone looking to buy or sell a home, I’d love to connect with them!” Don’t be shy about asking for referrals in your pop-by note.
- Reflect your personality and your brand: If you’re a goofy person with a light-hearted business brand, go all out with the punniest of puns. But if you’re the more buttoned-up type with a luxury-focused brand, stick with the classics, like some nice chocolates and a simple “You are the heart of my business.” A gift that matches your vibe will feel more genuine.
And now, without further ado, let’s get to these Valentine’s Day pop-by ideas.
1) Popcorn – “Just popping by to say Happy Valentine’s Day!”
With so many sweets getting passed around on Valentine’s Day, it’s nice to have something salty to balance the sugar. Amanda Behm of Real Estate Digital Assist suggests popcorn! Your clients will love receiving a bag of Pop-Secret, a snack-sized BoomChickaPop, or a homemade popcorn mix. You can download the gift tags from Behm’s Etsy store, REdigitalassist.
2) Conversation hearts – “When the conversation turns to real estate, call me to get to the heart of the matter.”
There’s nothing like a box of chalky candy hearts to bring you right back to elementary school. Deliver a little Valentine’s nostalgia along with a cheeky reminder that you’re always just a phone call away. Another idea from Amanda Behm, you can find these printable cards on Etsy, too.
3. Heart-shaped cookies – “You are the heart of my business.”
Sweet and simple, this idea comes from Emile L’Eplattenier, managing editor for The Close. He suggests looking into Wicked Good Cookies if you want to buy custom cookies decorated with your branding. The gift tags pictured are printables that you can buy from Etsy (courtesy of AlexMakesHomes).
4. Gift card for coffee or tea
Is there any better surprise than a coffee shop gift card? I don’t think so. Even the V-Day haters won’t find anything to dislike about this Valentine card.
These cards from MarketDwellings on Etsy include slots for a gift card and your business card, come in 5 different colors, and can be ordered in quantities as small as 10 or as large as 5000. Since these aren’t printables, make sure you order early to account for shipping time.
And if this one’s not quite punny enough for you, you could always write a note on the back and include one of these fantastic lines:
- Thanks a whole “latte” for your referrals!
- It’s such a “perk” having clients like you!
- I cannot “espresso” how much I appreciate your referrals!
5. Hand sanitizer – “Spread love, not germs. (Your referrals and Google reviews are so appreciated. Thanks for spreading the love!)”
A practical gift all dressed up in pretty packaging and a sweet sentiment, hand sanitizer makes for a great Valentine’s Day pop-by! These labels can be found on Etsy from StickEmUpLabels, and you can include a nice note thanking your client for sharing referrals and positive reviews.
6. Heart-shaped donuts – “We donut know what we would do without your referrals”
There’s a pretty solid chance your favorite donut shop is going to be selling boxes of heart-shaped (or at least Valentine-themed) donuts starting in February. Stock up, package them individually in little bags or boxes, and then attach these sweet tags from DesignedbySummertime.
Automate Your Client Pop-Bys With Workflows
A pop-by campaign doesn’t have to be one of those “nice to do, if I had the time” things. You can make pop-bys happen—consistently and effectively—without spending all of your time on them. All you need is a workflow!
Let us help you automate your pop-bys so you can balance your past client-nurturing with all of the other To Do’s on your list.
Click here to chat with one of our workflow experts to learn how to automate your pop-bys!
Looking for more pop-by inspiration? Check out our lists of Summer Pop-By Ideas and Fall & Winter Pop-By Ideas.
Note: This blog post was originally published on Jan 12, 2022. It has been updated for relevancy and comprehensiveness.
